SORRY/NOT SORRY
ACTS 3:19-20
#repentance
INTRODUCTION… Background of “Sorry not Sorry”
The phrase “sorry/not sorry” is a sarcastic way of acknowledging that someone might not like whatever you are saying or doing … but you don’t really care. “Sorry not sorry” is a new take on a time-honored tradition of the insincere apology.
One early instance of the expression comes in 2001 when an internet user changed the name of a chat thread from “Sorry for Stephen” to “Sorry, not-sorry for Stephen.” The phrase then began spreading in the early 2000s. The rock band Amen released a song with the title “Sorry, Not Sorry” in 2004 and so did Demi Lovato in 2017. In 2007, Newsday columnist James Pinkerton criticized former CIA Director George Tenet as “sorry/not sorry” following a big book deal he made. The first time I ran across a form of it in my recollection was in the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ads in 2018.
Basically, “sorry/not sorry” is a snarky way of acknowledging a possible mistake or making fun of those who think you made a mistake. You might not like how I started this sermon… “sorry not sorry.”
TRANSITION
The passage that we are going to look at today comes from Acts chapter 3. We need a little of the background of the chapter, but the verses that we are going to focus on are 19-20; if you want to turn in your Bibles; Acts 3:19-20.
ACTS 3
Acts 3 overall centers on two of the apostles and the adventure they had one day heading to the temple. The Apostle Simon Peter and the Apostle John were heading to the Temple to pray; as was their custom. Most of the early Christians were people converted from Judaism, so they often followed Jewish practices. They were on their way to the temple to pray. I am sure they also saw this as a great opportunity to preach and share with other like-minded religious folks about the Savior. What better place to preach the Word than at a place where all the devout Jews would be?! Everyone would be there, in the temple, ready to pray and think about God. It was a great place to spread the Word about Jesus Christ.
As they were walking, they entered the Temple through one of the main gates. There were several ways to enter the Temple. The crowds poured into all of them. The two disciples were walking and followed the crowds into the Temple. They entered through the gate called Beautiful. I have read it was the most popular gate with which to enter. According to my reading, it was the largest gate at the temple and was overlaid with bronze from Corinth; the gate was a work of art.
We find out from the beginning of Acts 3 (verse 2) that a beggar who had been crippled all his life was carried and placed at that gate of the temple. He asked Peter and John for money because he had grown up unable to care for himself. In ancient times, poor beggars often were found by rich people's houses as well as by highways and anywhere else many people would pass. They were especially found near the temple gates. The needy wanted to be where the people were at so they could get help.
Why do you think the lame-from-birth beggar went to the temple gate? He knew that those coming to the temple to worship would probably be in a state of great mental holiness and so they would be generous toward people like him. A person in a good mood is probably going to be more generous than someone else.
The beggar saw these two men and asked them for money. The next few verses seem a little strange if I am honest. In verse 4, both Peter and John just looked straight at him. They just looked right at him. What was in their hearts? I am not sure. Perhaps sympathy and a desire to help. Compassion. Willingness.
Peter spoke up first in verse 4 and said: “Look at us” (ESV). Perhaps the beggar was already scouting out his next giving soul and just kind of expected them to give. Perhaps because of his infirmity he never looked anyone in the face. Peter talked to him and the man looked at him.
What happened? The minute Peter had this man's attention, he did two things that are most interesting: First, he admitted his bankruptcy in the material things: "I do not have silver or gold…” (verse 6, ESV). I think Peter knew that was what the man wanted, but he was going to offer something else. Second, Peter demonstrated his amazing understanding and faith in the spiritual realm: "In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" (verse 6, ESV).
The man might have needed silver or gold, but he also needed physical healing and spiritual direction. Peter and John were offering physical healing and spiritual direction. We do not often think about it, but a person’s spiritual welfare is also a basic need each of us has. Sometimes we think we need material things to make us whole or complete… and in a sense that is true… but we should not ignore spiritual needs. We do so at our own detriment.
Sometimes, like this beggar, we think we need money. Others of us think another car will make us whole or life will be easier. We seek our life fulfilled in other people. Maybe we seek out alcohol or drugs to try and make it through the day. The world out there… and all of us in here… are searching for wholeness and peace and completeness… as was this beggar. Wholeness and peace and completeness can only be found in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was what Peter offered that lame-from-birth beggar.
I imagine the moment that Peter called on the Name of Jesus that strength came flowing into his ankles. Verse 7 says Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him up. The man rose and began to leap and shout and jump around! He tried out his legs for the first time! He felt strength, balance, and movement which he had never known because he was lame from birth. It was absolutely amazing. He was standing, walking, leaping, and praising God!
* He caused a ruckus.
* He caused a scene.
* He gave Peter and John the opportunity to address the crowds and tell them about Jesus.
The Apostle Peter preaches to the crowds because he is a loud-mouth and dedicated to Jesus. The crowds gather around this leaping-formerly-lame-man and the two men who seemed to have caused his healing.
Part of what Simon Peter tells the crowds is this:
READ ACTS 3:19-20 (ESV)
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus…”
It is only a few verses so “sorry/not sorry” I am going to read the same verses from some other English translations to get the verses firmly in our minds:
READ ACTS 3:19-20 (KJV)
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 20 And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you…”
READ ACTS 3:19-20 (AMP)
“So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day]; 20 and that He may send [to you] Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you…”
TRANSITION
What does Simon Peter share with the crowds in Acts 3:19-20?
ACTS 3:19-20
Simon Peter shares with the gathered crowd that they needed to repent. They needed to change their inner selves to rely on God. They needed to change their old ways of thinking and baptize their minds in Christ to draw close to Him. They needed to allow the Holy Spirit to press on their conscience regret for past sins. Repentance was a key part of the message that Simon Peter preached in this passage and in all instances where he shares the Gospel.
In this part of his sermon, Simon Peter shares a call to repent. Peter calls the people to change their mind and heart regarding their sin and their relationship with God. We see based on this passage and some others in Scripture that turning to God is not merely feeling sorry for one's sin but is a decisive act of the heart and mind to return to God and align one's life with His will. This produces in us forgiveness of sin and restoration of our relationship with God. We then experience times of refreshing which is a renewal of peace and joy that comes from being reconciled with God. None of this is done by us or earned by us, but is part of the promise of the Messiah. This passage points to the ultimate restoration that comes through Jesus Christ as we experience of God's Kingdom.
We find a direct command in Acts 3:19-20 to repent.
We find emphasis on the necessity of repentance for salvation.
We find that repentance leads to forgiveness.
We find that repentance leads to forgiveness which leads to spiritual renewal.
TRANSITION
The question of the morning is… how do we actually repent? What was Simon Peter telling these folks to do? What does that look like? I happen to think this is a difficult subject because we live in a culture where “sorry/not sorry” is actually the norm. We do not always care that others think we are wrong. We do not always feel bad when our rights impede on others. “Sorry/not sorry” often gets in us and we do not know it. “Sorry/not sorry” often gets into our relationship with God and is an obstacle for genuine repentance. The question of the morning is… how do we actually repent?
If you already know how to repent, “sorry/not sorry” we are going to go over it so we all are aware how to repent.
HOW TO ACTUALLY REPENT?
Repentance is not a one-time one-action in the Bible, but is a spiritual process that involves turning away from sin and turning or returning to God. A person who is not a Christian needs to repent as does a person who is a Christian. For a Christian, repentance is a normal regular spiritual discipline or aligning and realigning ourselves with God.
Repentance begins with conviction of sin. John 16:8 and Acts 2:37 both refer to “conviction concerning sin” and being “cut to the heart” when it comes to sin. The process of repentance begins when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sinful actions. He may press on our minds that we have an ungodly attitude. He may show us a way our heart does not honor God. This conviction is a deep awareness that we have sinned and fallen short of God's standards (Romans 3:23). Repentance begins by recognizing and admitting we have done wrong.
Repentance continues with the confession of sin. Confession is acknowledging our sins before God in prayer or out loud to another person. If you sin against God, confess to Him. If you sin against yourself, confess to Him and/or to another person. If you sin against another person, confess to God and confess to the person you wronged. Confession is more than just admitting wrongdoing; it is an honest, heartfelt expression of sorrow for sin and a deep desire for forgiveness. Psalm 51:17 tells us that God loves a confessing contrite heart. 1 John 1:9 makes us a promise that if we confess our sins, God will cleanse us. God makes that promise and He keeps His promise.
Repentance also involves sorrow. The Apostle Paul calls sorrow “godly grief” in 2 Corinthians 7:10. Here is where the “sorry/not sorry” plague of our society rears its ugly head. We have to feel sorrow for our actions or attitudes. We have to grieve that we sinned against God, ourselves, or against another person. This is not just being sorry that you got caught or that another person thinks you hurt them, but rather “godly sorrow” is understanding that we have sinned and broken God’s heart. We must have genuine heart-felt sorrow that we did wrong. The purpose of this sorrow and I might even call it guilt, is that it presses us to turn to God.
Repentance absolutely involves turning away from sin. Peter uses this type of wording in our passage (Acts 3:19)… “turn back” (ESV). Repentance means to turn away from the actions, attitudes, or feelings that are sinful. To repent means to turn away from sin. This turning involves not just regret or confession, but a deliberate willful decision to forsake sinful behaviors and attitudes. Repent means to change.
Conviction of sin, confession of sin, sorrow over sin, and turning away from sin is the beginning of repentance. That is not the end of it. That is only the beginning of repentance. Many times we like to stop there, but we stop there and repentance is incomplete. “Sorry/not sorry” we need to continue to talk about repentance.
The next step of forgiveness is faith in Jesus Christ that when He says we are forgiven that we are actually forgiven. Repentance involves receiving forgiveness. We might be tempted to call this self-forgiveness, but the Bible never talks about self-forgiveness. Never. Not even once. Mark 2:7 and Luke 5:21 make it very clear that only God forgives sin and if we are to survive any shame or sin issues that dump into our lives, we need to accept that God does what He says He will do when we repent.
We repent. He forgives. Repeat.
We confess. He offers grace. Repeat.
You and I must believe in the death of Jesus for us and His resurrection as the atonement for our sin. Repentance and faith are closely intertwined. Without faith, repentance cannot fully take place, as forgiveness comes only through Christ Jesus our Lord. Make no mistake, this is a big step of forgiveness. We must believe that we are forgiven and walk in that forgiveness in faith. We are forgiven because Jesus’ blood makes it so! God offers forgiveness and is the source of all forgiveness. When we repent, we are restored to a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ, with the promise that their sins are forgiven and forgotten. Passages like Micah 7:19 and Hebrews 10:17 give us this promise.
With repentance, there are also some other thoughts to consider.
Repentance will always have fruit with it. By fruit, I do not mean ask Jesus for forgiveness and then eat a banana, but rather repentance involves righting wrongs done or changing behavior. Righting wrongs done may mean returning stolen goods, apologizing publicly to those harmed, or replacing a damaged item. Repentance always includes changing behavior. True repentance is the turning away from sin and demonstrating that the same set of circumstances or temptations or mistakes will not happen again. John the Baptist teaches us this in Matthew 3:8 and Zacchaeus lives this out in Luke 19 (verses 8-9). Our heart-felt intent is to not do it again. Our heart-felt intent is to not say it again. Our heart-felt intent is to not treat someone that way again.
Again, repentance is not a one-time one-action in the Bible, but is a spiritual process that involves turning away from sin and turning or returning to God. A person who is not a Christian needs to repent as does a person who is a Christian. For a Christian, repentance is a normal regular spiritual discipline.
CHALLENGE
What do I want you to take away from this sermon today?
I know what I have taken away from it. I have taken away from this sermon today that I need to push out any “sorry/not sorry” attitudes when it comes to my sin. One root of repentance is godly sorrow over my sin.
We have to care that we sin.
We have to care about how we treat others.
We have to care about our thought life.
We have to care that our sin breaks our relationship with God.
We have to care that we sin.
Sorry/Not sorry we need to take our sin more seriously and repent.
PRAYER
INVITATION
If you are here today and you are not an immersed believer in Christ, I want to invite you to make that commitment. Perhaps you are already convicted that you are in need of Jesus and that you need forgiveness of sins so you can have the freedom to have a relationship with God. Jesus is the way. Repent of the old life and accept Jesus. Jesus, and only Jesus, is the way to God. He is it. His death paid for our sin that we might repent and be forgiven and healed. Please choose healing today.
